Most of you have been teaching for several weeks. Patterns are probably beginning to emerge and classroom routines are probably making you feel more comfortable than you were when you started. Can you still see the teacher that you started this semester wanting to be? Are you satisfied that you're actually teaching or are you concerned that you may be getting immersed in playing the "game of school?" Assess your teaching so far. What are you doing well, and what do you know you need to work on? What evidence are you seeing for both your successes and difficulties? What are you determined to change and why?
I can honestly say that I will really miss my students and the faculty at Cole when I leave this week. This experience has been excellent, I wouldn't change a thing!! I feel that I have learned some invaluable lessons at Cole, that have helped to shape me as a teacher so far. I feel like I have come a long way, yet, still have sooo many things that I could improve on. I am hopeful that constantly making improvements, to my teaching, throughout my career will help to prevent the "game of school" from taking over my classroom, now and in the future. I was shocked that by seventh grade many of my students had already mastered the game of school, and I made it my personal mission to make so that their game was inturrupted during my time in front of the classroom. My CT was also a master of disruppting the game of school, and one of the many things I enjoyed about our classroom activities was that we often worked backwards. I enjoyed giving the students a simple activity and watching as their eyes got wider and the gaps in knowledge appeared, ready for me to fill.
Things I feel confident in....
1. My style of teaching is very relaxed and personal. I can't help but be enthusiastic and bubbly when talking about science! My style appeared as Miss Frizzle-esque (Miss Frizzle of the Magic School Bus that is :) )
2. I was often able to pick up on things that were not being understood, and either backtrack or design another activity to supplement.
3. Formatting! My CT, as I've said, is the formatting queen. I was also able to meet with a reading specialist, who gave me great tips on how I could format my worksheet, and assessments so that even student with a below grade, reading level could decipher instructions, and questions. I have now begun to rework assignments and worksheets I designed earlier this year for my H.S. unit plan because...the formatting stinks :)
4. Developing meaningful activities, and tricks to remember information by.
5. Content! I love science for sure...It was hard to know where to stop filling my 7th graders with information because once we hit the biology unit I was so excited!
Areas to be improved....
1. Classroom Management. Once the 7th graders realized that my CT was no longer going to be in the room they decided they would push boundries as far as they could...they tested me. I ran through several classroom management techniques to see what would work, and eventually I found one that was awesome...but there is always room for improvement.
2. Some content...such as astronomy, and physics could use a bit of help.
3. Giving in sooo easily...I tend to bend and give to my students perhaps a bit more than I should. I don't have a hard ball side (when appropriate) to me that I might have to develop a bit more.
I can honestly say that I will really miss my students and the faculty at Cole when I leave this week. This experience has been excellent, I wouldn't change a thing!! I feel that I have learned some invaluable lessons at Cole, that have helped to shape me as a teacher so far. I feel like I have come a long way, yet, still have sooo many things that I could improve on. I am hopeful that constantly making improvements, to my teaching, throughout my career will help to prevent the "game of school" from taking over my classroom, now and in the future. I was shocked that by seventh grade many of my students had already mastered the game of school, and I made it my personal mission to make so that their game was inturrupted during my time in front of the classroom. My CT was also a master of disruppting the game of school, and one of the many things I enjoyed about our classroom activities was that we often worked backwards. I enjoyed giving the students a simple activity and watching as their eyes got wider and the gaps in knowledge appeared, ready for me to fill.
Things I feel confident in....
1. My style of teaching is very relaxed and personal. I can't help but be enthusiastic and bubbly when talking about science! My style appeared as Miss Frizzle-esque (Miss Frizzle of the Magic School Bus that is :) )
2. I was often able to pick up on things that were not being understood, and either backtrack or design another activity to supplement.
3. Formatting! My CT, as I've said, is the formatting queen. I was also able to meet with a reading specialist, who gave me great tips on how I could format my worksheet, and assessments so that even student with a below grade, reading level could decipher instructions, and questions. I have now begun to rework assignments and worksheets I designed earlier this year for my H.S. unit plan because...the formatting stinks :)
4. Developing meaningful activities, and tricks to remember information by.
5. Content! I love science for sure...It was hard to know where to stop filling my 7th graders with information because once we hit the biology unit I was so excited!
Areas to be improved....
1. Classroom Management. Once the 7th graders realized that my CT was no longer going to be in the room they decided they would push boundries as far as they could...they tested me. I ran through several classroom management techniques to see what would work, and eventually I found one that was awesome...but there is always room for improvement.
2. Some content...such as astronomy, and physics could use a bit of help.
3. Giving in sooo easily...I tend to bend and give to my students perhaps a bit more than I should. I don't have a hard ball side (when appropriate) to me that I might have to develop a bit more.